Sometimes it's hard to know if your cat is stressed. Cats are notorious for hiding pain, discomfort and stress from their people. However, there are signs to watch for as well as ways to prevent stress for your fabulous feline friend.
Why?
Why do our cats try to "hide" uncomfortable feelings from us? In a word, instinct. In the wild, any sign of illness can be seen as a "weakness" that leaves them vulnerable to competitors or larger predators. Hiding one's vulnerability can work until it's healed.
As many of you know, cats are healers in their own right. With sophisticated energy manipulation and the frequencies of their purr, they are gifted at healing themselves and others, namely us, their humans, and other animals in the house they care about. If you are a massage therapist, energy worker, acupuncturist or other kind of healer and you have a cat with you in your healing space, you've experienced them using their energy and purr to calm and help the human you're working with. (I'll share more on how conscious they are about their healing skills in another article...)
How to Help De-stress Your Cat
1) Feed a "species appropriate" diet. That means a balanced diet of raw or lightly cooked meat and supplements. Canned food with no chemicals, by-products, etc., can be okay. It depends on the type of food, quality of ingredients and brand. NO dry food. Feed cats in a quiet, calm place away from their litter box.
2) Create safe spaces in your home. Some cats like to go under. Some like to go high. Be sure you provide access to both. Going high is especially important if there are dogs, kids and lots going on in the house. A tall, carpeted perch that's not wobbly is essential for this as well as to...
3) Provide adequate stretching and clawing surfaces. If you don't provide good quality scratching posts, cardboard, sisal etc., your cat will chose his own scratching area -- likely the chair, sofa or carpet. Stretching and clawing is essential for their physical, mental and emotional health.
4) Playtime and attention. Cats normally sleep a lot during the day, but mornings and evenings are "hunting" times, so making time to play games with them that involve chasing -- lasers, balls, "flying" things like "Da Bird" are fun, create important physical exercise, and stimulate kitty minds and appetites. Talk to your kitties and tell him about your day and interact with him as much as possible.
5) Brushing. Cats love to groom themselves and be groomed in return. When the brush is used gently and pleasurably, it's a wonderful de-stressor. Brushing AND petting/cuddling are also wonderful and de-stressing for you as well!
6) Flower Essences are excellent for de-stressing all kinds of situations. Rescue Remedy should be in every home. Add a drop to hands and pet your cat. Add 1-2 drops to water or food. Make a small spray bottle to spritz around the room by adding a drop or two to filtered water in the small spray bottle. NOTE: Flower essences are not essential oils. Essential oils can be toxic to cats. Read more here.
Put these suggestions to work and your cat will show you that she's happy and content. If you need help deciphering more details about what she needs, please set up an #animalcommunication session with me. Click here if you're new to me or here if you're a returning client.
Remember that LOVE is the reason you two are together. The JOY of togetherness is perhaps the BEST de-stressor for all of us!
With Love, Your Voice of Animals,
Kate
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